Freeing Katie

Ch. 5 Bad Move

KATIE POV

I feel the tightness in my lungs as I push myself harder.  The breeze hits my face harshly the faster I go.  The sun barely rose an hour ago, but I couldn’t sleep.  I have a session with Dr. Kelly coming up next week, and it’s one of those ‘talk about the past’ ones.  It’s gotten easier, but it still gives me anxiety just the same, so running it out will hopefully make me feel better.

I started running when anxious about a year ago, and since the weather has warmed up, I can actually try to get into a routine- something that’s ideal for me to focus on. 

There’s about a month of school left, and I can say that the move here was what we needed.  Brenna and Taylor are becoming good friends of mine, and we hang out at least once a week outside of school.  I’ve even interacted with other people in my classes, and slowly, I feel like I’m coming out of my shell- as my mom likes to put it.  She’s finally gotten a steady schedule, and the routine around the house has gotten easier.  Jason has friends that live in this neighborhood, and is always outside with them now.  It’s been great progress for us all.

One of my fast pace songs comes on, telling me it’s time to sprint.  I give it all I have and round the corner to get back into our neighborhood.  I found a really cool path a couple of weeks ago that leads to a long trail in the woods, so it’s perfect for running. 

The song ends by the time I get to my driveway, and I lean over the rail of the porch steps to catch my breath.  I’m caked in sweat, but I feel better than I did an hour ago.  I hear a door open and a girl’s giggle.  Instinctively, I just look up, but I wish I hadn’t.

A girl from our school with a disheveled dress on, and a shirtless Chase walk out of his house.  His dad went out of town the day before yesterday, so I guess he had company.  I stupidly watch like a creeper as she kisses his cheek and walks to her car.  He doesn’t even walk her to the car?  Just before she gets in, she sees me, and actually sticks her nose up as she rolls her eyes.

Okay.  The f**k?

She drives away, and I just watch her go, but when I turn my head back, his blue eyes sear into mine.  He puts on a smirk before trotting towards me.  With no shirt on.  He doesn’t have a fully defined steroid body, but you can tell he works out, and it puts my every-once-in-a-while runner’s body to shame.

Did he… did he just trip on flat ground?

“Morning, Katie,” he almost slurs, giving me an unwanted sniff of stale alcohol.  I rear back a tad as he looks over my body unapologetically, zeroing in on my legs.  “You look good without your glasses.”

“Are you still drunk, Chase?” I ask, tugging my t-shirt lower over my butt.  I don’t wear leggings unless I’m working out, but his gaze is making me uncomfortable.

He puts on a goofy smile, that would be funny to see, but he’s still looking at my legs.  Thank god I covered them up.  “Just a little,” he says, proving his point by holding up his thumb and first finger for measurement.  “I couldn’t even get off with Nikki,” he laughs even as his eyelids are threatening to shut on him.

I feel disgust for him and I turn to take the steps on my porch.  “Go to bed Chase,” I sigh out.

He gently grabs my wrist.  “Jealous?  You wanna take her place?”

I feel my face turning red- out of anger and embarrassment that he’s saying this, but I can tell he’s so far gone, and doesn’t even know what he’s saying.  His eyes are almost completely closed and still wearing that stupid grin.  I pull my wrist out of his hand and his eyes open, frowning when he sees my face. 

Just as I was about to open my mouth, I hear a car pull up.  We both turn to see his dad pull into the driveway.  I sigh out my disappointment in Chase.  “Go home,” I say softly, refusing to look at him.

“Katie…”

“Chase?”  Mr. Young looks over at us and turns a glare, seeing his son’s state.  Chase is struggling to hold himself up.  I hear him curse under his breath then comes into our yard, taking a grip of one of Chase’s arms.  “Sorry, Katie.  Seems my son is making some stupid decisions this morning,” he grits out.  Chase looks ashamed, as he should be.

Then I hear my front door open.  “Katie?”  Mom walks out in her scrubs, prepared to head to work.  “Oh, hello, you must be Chase’s father!”  Her excitement dulls down as she looks over at Chase, and Mr. Young gives her an apologetic smile.

“Yes, sorry.  I’m Daniel.  It’s nice to meet you…”

“Laura … Laura Roberts.”

“Laura,” he nods, then turns back to me.  “Sorry for my son’s behavior, Katie.”  Then he looks to my mom.  “It was a pleasure to meet you.”

As they turn to walk away, my mom takes a few steps down the stairs.  “Um, Daniel!”  Mr. Young turns his head as Chase begins to droop, and I just look at my mom confused.  “We are having a family cookout tomorrow.  The kids have been cleaning the backyard and we just bought a grill.  Would you and Chase like to come over for dinner?”

His smile is pleasant, but I’m focusing on not dropping my mouth open.  Who are we, the Cleavers?  “We would like that very much.  You can count us in.”

We watch them retreat into their house, and I feel my eyes retreating back into my skull.  Mom turns towards me with a shrug.  “You’re friends with him, and they are our neighbors.  It’s only a cookout, Katie.”

I follow her inside, still reeling in the fact that she invited the neighbors for a cookout.  She’s never done that before.  “And the fact that Chase was a drunken mess doesn’t bother you?”

She reaches for her purse, then pauses to give me a serious look.  “Did something happen?  Are you okay?”

I see the fear etched in her face and I scold myself.  “No, sorry.  I didn’t mean to make it sound like that.”  She releases a breath of air and turns to get her stuff ready, and I fiddle with my fingers.  “He said something that threw me off, and I’m just disappointed in him.  I… I just wasn’t expecting that kind of behavior out of him.”

“What did he say?” she asks in a soft tone, and I follow her out of the house to her car. 

I exhale an exhausted breath.  “I saw a girl come out of his house, and he basically said he was too drunk to o****m, then asked if I wanted to take her place.”  I inwardly cringe.  We made a promise to each other years ago to never have secrets and to be open with communication, but sometimes, I wish I wasn’t so blunt.  But she takes it like a champ without judgement.

“Do you like him, honey?”

This time, my eyes really do bulge.  “W-what?!  No!  Mom!”

She laughs while opening her car door, then turns serious.  “Okay sweetie.  But if he makes you feel uncomfortable, I can withdraw the invite.”

I take a second and think about it.  I was uncomfortable, but not by his presence or when he held my wrist.  It was just his words.  I shake my head and give her a hug.  “No, don’t withdraw the invite. He didn’t mean what he said, and he probably won’t remember it anyhow.”

*

*

CHASE POV

I didn’t think I could be more thankful than to have my dad come home early and drag my ass back to the house yesterday.  It was as if my stupid mouth had a mind of its own, but one look… that one look from Katie hit me hard.

Straight up disappointment.

I look in the mirror, making sure my hair is styled okay for this cookout.  That wasn’t exactly what I pictured in officially meeting her mother, and now I feel like I’ll be under trial the whole meal.

As soon as we got inside the house yesterday, dad let me have it, and I mean bad.  I haven’t heard him that angry in so many years, and then he threw the words ‘Your mother would be so disappointed in you’ in my face.  I knew at that point, I really f****d up.

I never wanted to disappoint my dad, and I felt like I failed him.  The party I went to got out of hand.  J.R. usually does crowd control, but his older brother invited a bunch of college guys and everyone was doing shots after shots.  Shots of Jaeger to be more precise.  I couldn’t even walk straight.  I was going to pass out on one of the spare rooms, but Nikki said she would drive me home, since she had sobered up some.

When we got back, Nikki had other things in mind other than helping me to my room.  It was really pointless to try to have s*x- me being as drunk as I was.  It took forever to even attempt to get my d**k hard, and it was not enjoyable.  After a while of trying and failing, I told her she should just go home.

I wasn’t expecting to see Katie though.

I vaguely remember walking up to her and checking her legs out in her workout clothes.  And I only remember snips of what I said to her.  I’m pretty certain I propositioned her to sleep with me, which is f****d up on my side.  We’ve barely even flirted, and I basically threw our friendship card in the blender.

But the way she looked at me seared itself into my brain.

Attempting to shake those thoughts out, I head downstairs.  Dad’s in the kitchen, seasoning some meat to take over.  Wearing jeans and a polo, I think he’s a tad too overdressed compared to my t-shirt and cargo shorts, but it’s nice to see him out of a suit.  “Need any help?”

“Yea, grab the sodas in the fridge, as well as the pie.  We’re heading over there in about five minutes.”

Even though he wouldn’t let me sleep and made me do a s**t ton of yardwork/housework in my drunken stupor- throwing up all over the yard in the process- I know he’s still upset with me.  I didn’t even protest the month long grounding. “Dad?”

“Hmm?”

I let out a sigh.  “I’m sorry.  I really am.  I know I messed things up, but I promise to make them right again.  It won’t happen again.”

He washes his hands and finally turns around to look at me, crossing his arms over his chest.  “I know you are, Chase.  You owe the Robert’s an apology though, especially Katie.”  I nod my head, having already known that fact.  “And if I catch you drunk and shirtless in the yard again, I really will kick your ass.  Yesterday will seem like a cakewalk to what I’ll do.”

*

Ms. Roberts is quick to open the door.  She has a wide smile on and greets us both with enthusiasm.  “Oh, you didn’t have to bring anything!  Let me help you!” 

“Ms. Roberts?  Can I speak to Katie for a moment?” 

She smiles sweetly and calls Katie from upstairs, then taking the sodas from my hands.  “Follow me to the kitchen, Daniel.  I just started up the grill.”

As they walk away, I see Katie coming down the stairs.  Her dark jeans are fitted but her shirt is big enough to not show off any curves.  I remember her being uncomfortable when I checked her out, and I curse at myself for adding to her insecurities.  When she gets to me, she pushes up her cute glasses.  “Hey Chase, you coming in?”

I gently grab for her hand, and I don’t miss the hesitation in her body.  “Can we talk for a sec?”

I pull her outside and to the porch swing, only letting her hand go as we both sit.  “Kati-“

“You don’t have to apologi-“

“Yes, I do,” I say sternly, looking into her hazel eyes that are more brown today.  “I was a d**k, and you should have slapped me.  If I were you, I would have.  If I were you, I would be pissed as hell.  I’m sorry for what I said, Katie.  I know being drunk isn’t an excuse, but I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable.  That’s not me.”

I see her biting her inner lip as she’s lost in thought, then shrugs when she fixes her gaze on me.  “okay.”

Okay?  That’s it.  “It won’t happen again,” I emphasize.

She nods her head and stands up.  “Just let it go, Chase.  Thank you for apologizing.”

Even with her words, it doesn’t make me feel any better, but if she wants to brush it under the rug, then I’ll do what she says.  I quickly stand and loop my pinky around hers, holding it up between us.  Her confused face is adorable, especially when her pouty lips are slightly parted.  “This is me, Chase, promising you, Katie, that I will be a better friend.”  I give her one of my best signature smiles.

“We’re friends?” she says with confusion.  My smile faulters, but then she starts laughing, taking her pinky away from mine.  “I’m kidding,” she somewhat gets out between her laughs.  “You should have seen your face!”

“Cute.  Real cute.”  I pout like a child and head to the door.

“Aw don’t be like that!”  I stop and watch her smile... like really smiling.  I find myself doing the same as she walks over to me and wraps her arms around my left one and hugs it, shocking me.  “Thank you, Chase.”  She lifts up her head and I watch all the colors dance in her eyes.  “But like I said, stop apologizing.  Watching you ralph in your backyard while you pulled weeds was enough punishment for you, I think.”

She lets go and leads us into the house, even though I’m slightly stunned.  I think I like this playful side to Katie.